Car roof



April 1940- E. FINGER 2.198.433

. CAR ROOF Filed May 1, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l p I g I //VVENTOE.'

P. E. FINGER CAR ROOF Filed May 1, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet Patented Apr. 23, 1940 UNlTEl) STATES OAR ROOF Paul E. Finger, New Kensington, Pa., assignor to Standard Railway Equipment Manufacturing Company, New Kensington, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Application May 1, 1939, Serial No. 271,049

9 Claims.

This invention relates to car roofs, and more particularly to the eaves constructions of metal car roofs of the type wherein the roof sheets span from side plate to side plate and are rigidly connected thereto and to each other to form a load sustaining structure. It has for its principal objects to produce a strong and rigid waterproof eaves construction that is simple and economical to manufacture and assemble and that will afford maximum inside headroom and storage capacity for the car. The invention consists in the improved eaves construction and in the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification and wherein like symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the portion of a car roof embodying my invention,

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section along the ridge line of the car on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section through onehalf of the roof on the line 3-3 in Fig. 1,

Figs. 4 and 5 are enlarged vertical transverse sections through the eaves portion of the roof on the lines 44 and 55, respectively, in Fig. 1,

Fig. (i is a vertical longitudinal section on the line 66 in Fig. 5; and

Fig. '7 is a perspective view of one of the supports for the eaves ends of the roof seams.

In the construction illustrated in the drawings there are T-shaped side plates A; that is, each side plate comprises an outer vertically disposed longitudinal flange l and a horizontally disposed stem 2 projecting inwardly from said flange midway of the top and bottom edges thereof. The metal side sheathing 3 of the car is secured by rivets 4 or by welding to the inner face of the vertical flange l of the side plate below the inwardly extending stem 2 thereof. The metal roof sheets B span from side plate to side plate, and have depending eaves end portions 5 that are secured by rivets 6 flatwise to the outer face of the side plates A above the level of the stems 2 thereof. The roof sheets slope downwardly at a comparatively low angle on opposite sides of the ridge and are thence curved downward into the plane of their depending eaves portions 5, said sheets crossing in the inner margins of the side plates at a considerable distance thereabove.

The roof sheets B are preferably formed with flat-topped ribs 1, forming upper panels alternating with lower panels, said ribs being of maximum depth at the ridge and gradually decreasing in height until they merge into the plane of the depending eaves end portions 5 of the sheets just above the tops of the vertical flange I of the side plates. The adjacent margins of adjacent sheets have low abutting seam flanges 8 that are rigidly united together to form watertight roof seams, preferably by welds 9 of added metal that cover the flush upper edges of said flanges. A running board I extends longitudinally of the roof at the ridge and rests on and is bolted to the lateral top flanges of angle shaped metal running board saddles ll whose vertically disposed bottom flanges have their lower portions disposed between and rigidly secured to adjacent seam flanges by the securing welds 9 therefor.

Additional supports l2 and 13 are provided for the roof above the side plates at and intermediate between the roof seams. Each of the supports l2 preferably comprises an upstanding metal plate that is disposed crosswise of the side plate in line with a roof seam with its lower end notched, as at. M, to straddle the vertical flange l of said side plate and supported on and rigidly secured to the stem 2 thereof by a weld l or by rivets. Adjacent roof sheet flanges 8 are spaced apart opposite the upright seam support to receive the outer marginal portion thereof therebetween. The outer edge of the seam support is curved in conformity with the seam flanges to bring said edge flush with the edges of said flanges, and said support and seam flanges are rigidly united along their flush edges by the securing weld 9 for said flanges. The seam support has a vertically disposed laterally flanged inner edge It which stiffens and strengthens said support and terminates flush with or short of the inner edge of the stem 2 of the side plate so as not to cut down the loading height of the car adjacent to the side plate.

The roof supports l3 preferably comprise metal channels with outstanding side flanges l8 along the edges of its side wall. These channel shaped roof supports have their lower end portions secured by rivets H3 or by welds to the inner face of the vertical flange I of the side plate above the stem I thereof, and the upper portions of said supports are curved in conformity to the underside of the downwardly curved eaves portion of the roof and rigidly secured thereto by rivets l9 or by welds.

The hereinbefore described construction better provides for the support and attachment of the large radius curved eaves end portions to the side plates. The channel-shaped supports 13 increase the strength and rigidity of the cur d eaves portions of the roof between seams. The supports l2 rest on and are welded to the horizontal stem portions of the side plates, are laterally interlocked with the vertical flange thereof and are interposed between and rigidly secured to the adjacent seam flanges by the securing welds for said flanges. This arrangement provides vertical support for the roof above the side plates, stifiens the-roof against movement crosswise of said side plate and provides a rigid waterproof connection between the seam supports to be secured thereto substantially in the plane of the side sheathing, whereby the car has a substantially smooth and continuous outside contour where the roof and side sheets join the side plates.

What I claim is:

1. A car roof comprising side plates with upstanding flanges at their outer margins, metal roof sheets having their eaves end portions turned down steeply over said flanges into vertical plane portions that are rigidly secured flatwise to the outer faces thereof, said roof sheets having vertically disposed upstanding flanges along their adjacent margins with the edges of said flanges substantially flush, upright members supported on and rigidly secured to said side plates beneath the down-turned eaves end portions of said roof sheets, said members being notched to straddle the upstanding side plate flanges and having portions disposed between adjacent sheet flanges substantially flush with the flush edges thereof and welds joining together the flush edges of adjacent flanges and the portions of the members interposed therebetween.

2. A car roof comprising metal side plates, metal roof sheets with downwardly curved eaves end portions having a relatively large radius of curvature rigidly secured to the outer faces of said side plates, said roof sheets having upstanding flanges along their adjacent margins, upright metal plates resting on and welded to said side plates crosswise thereof and having portions interposed between adjacent seam flanges and welds covering and joining together the edges of said flanges and upright plates, said upright plates having flanges along their inner edges.

3. A car roof comprising T-shaped side plates having outer vertically disposed flanges and horizontally disposed inwardly projecting stems, side sheathing secured to the vertical flanges of said side plates below the stems thereof, a metal roof having its eaves portions turned down over said side plates and secured to the vertical flanges thereof above the stems thereof, and upright roof supports resting on and secured to the stem portions of said side plates and secured to the downturned eaves portions of said roof.

4. A car roof comprising T-shaped side plates having outer vertically disposed flanges and horizontally disposed inwardly projecting stems, side sheathing secured to the vertical flanges of said side plates below the stems thereof, metal roof sheets having their eaves portions turned downwardly over said side plates and secured tothe vertical flanges thereof above the stems thereof, and upright supports resting on and secured to the stem portions of said side plates and having portions interposed between and rigidly secured to adjacent roof sheets.

5. A car roof comprising T-shaped side plates having outer vertically disposed flanges and horizontally disposed inwardly projecting stems, side sheathing secured to the vertical flanges of said side plates below the stems thereof, metal roof sheets having its eaves portions turned downwardly over said side plates and secured to the vertical flanges thereof above the stems thereof, said roof sheets having upstanding seam flanges along their adjacent margins, upright supports resting on and secured to the stem portions of said side plates and having portions interposed between adjacent sheet flanges, and welds joining together adjacent sheet flanges and the portions of the members interposed therebetween.

6. A car roof comprising T-shaped side plates having outer vertically disposed flanges and horizontally disposed inwardly projecting stems, side sheathing secured to the vertical flanges of said side plates below the stems thereof, metal roof sheets having their eaves portions turned downwardly over said side plates and secured to the vertical flanges thereof above the stems thereof, upright supports resting on and secured to the stem portions of said side plates, portions of said upright members being interposed between and rigidly secured to adjacent roof sheets, said upright members comprising vertically disposed plates that are notched to straddle the upper p01- tions of the outside vertical flanges of said side plates.

7. A car roof comprising T-shaped side plates having outer vertically disposed flanges and horizontally disposed inwardly projecting stems, side sheathing secured to the vertical flanges of said side plates below the stems thereof, metal roof sheets having their eaves portions turned downwardly over said side plates and secured to the vertical flanges thereof above the stems thereof, said roof sheets having upstanding flanges along their adjacent margins, upright plates resting on and secured to the stem portions of said side plates and notched to straddle the upper portions of the outside vertical flanges thereof, portions of said plates being interposed between adjacent sheet flanges, and welds covering and joining together the edges of said adjacent flanges and the plates interposed therebetween.

8. A car roof comprising T-shaped side plates having outer vertically disposed flanges and horizontally disposed inwardly projecting stems, side sheathing secured to the vertical flanges of said side plates below the stems thereof, metal roof sheets having their eaves portions turned downwardly over and secured to the vertical flanges of said side plates above the stems thereof, rigid seams connecting adjacent margins of adjacent sheets and upright plates resting on and secured to the stem portions of said side plates, portions of said upright plates being rigidly embodied in said seams.

9. A car roof comprising metal side plates each having a horizontal portion with an upwardly extending flange along its outer margin, metal roof sheets whose end portions cross the inner margins of the side plates at a considerable distance above said side plates, said end portions being turned down over said side plates into vertical plane portions that are rigidly secured to the outer faces of said upstanding flanges, said roof sheets having flanges along their adjacent margins, reinforcing members whose lower ends rest on and are secured to said horizontal portions .of the respective side plates, said members extending above the upstanding flanges of said side plates with the outer edges of the portions of said members above said upstanding flanges disposed between adjacent sheet flanges and welded thereto.

PAUL E. FINGER. 

